An engine using fuel as an energy source will consume a large amount of fuel, and discharge a large amount of waste gas and hot gas, which will pollute the environment. In order to save the fuel energy source and protect the global environment, there is a need for an engine that does not consume fuel, discharge waste gas or hot gas, or cause pollution.
Chinese patent CN2242352Y discloses a wind power electric generator for automobile, which comprises a windmill, a driving mechanism connected to the windmill, an electric generator connected to the driving mechanism, and a storage battery circuit connected to the output of the electric generator. The wind power electric generator for automobile is installed in the front of an automobile. The windmill rotates when the automobile travels, making the generator generate electricity, which is stored in the storage battery to operate the engine.
Chinese patent CN2073484U discloses a transport vehicle driven by electricity generated from wind power, which comprises a body and a wind power electricity generator, wherein the body comprises wheels, a chassis, a carriage and a storage battery and the wind power electric generator comprises an impeller, a shaft and an electric generator. The electric generator is fixed to the carriage and the impeller is fixed to the shaft. The impeller drives the generator through the shaft and the output of the electric generator is connected to the storage battery. During operation, wind energy is converted through the impeller into mechanical kinetic energy, which drives the electric generator via the shaft to generate electricity, and electrical energy generated by the electric generator is stored in the storage battery.
A common advantage of both CN2242352Y and CN2073484U is that wind energy can be converted into electrical energy, which is stored in the storage battery for use. However, they also have the following common shortcomings: 1. Energy conversion has to be performed, i.e. wind energy has to be converted into electrical energy. 2. They are only applicable to a transport vehicle driven by electric power; however, in order to convert electrical energy in turn into mechanical energy, a complicated electromechanical energy conversion system and a circuit control system are necessary for a transport vehicle driven by electric power. 3. The energy conversion efficiency is low. When storing the energy, wind energy needs to be converted into electrical energy; when using the energy, the stored electrical energy needs to be converted in turn into mechanical energy. Two energy conversions in the whole process result in a low energy conversion efficiency. 4. The storage battery is limited in capacity and is bulky, which greatly limits the application field of the transport vehicle using the storage battery as the primary power.
In view of the above, the traditional thinking always followed by person skilled in the art when utilizing wind energy is to convert wind energy into electrical energy, store the generated electrical energy, and utilize the stored electrical energy as needed with the electromechanical energy conversion and control technology in the prior art.
In order to utilize wind energy more directly, especially to directly utilize a wind resistance airflow generated in the running of a power machine, the applicant of the present invention filed a Chinese patent application titled with “A Wind-Air Engine-An Engine Employing Wind Power Pressure for Replacing Fuel Energy Source” with the publication number CN1828046, which discloses a wind-air engine and a motor vehicle equipped with the same, which comprise at least one impeller chamber, an impeller installed in the impeller chamber, and an air-jet system for jetting high pressure gas into the impeller chamber. The invention is characterized mainly in that the impeller chamber is provided with an air inlet for receiving external wind resistance airflow and with the air-jet system. During operation, the wind-air engine of the invention, which is installed in a power machine that can travel (especially a motor vehicle), can directly utilize the wind resistance airflow the power machine encounters through the air inlet provided for receiving the external wind resistance airflow, thereby transforming the resistance into a power. With the air-jet system and employing high pressure gas as the primary power, there is no fuel consumption, no waste gas or hot gas discharge, and no pollution.
The above-mentioned invention initiatively proposed a wind-air engine that directly utilizes the wind resistance airflow as auxiliary power and employs the high pressure gas as the primary power, as well as a motor vehicle equipped with the wind-air engine. The invention does not need to convert the wind resistance airflow into electrical energy. Therefore, no complicated electromechanical energy conversion system or circuit control system is needed, which greatly simplifies the structure of the power machine, especially of the motor vehicle. Besides, the invention provided a new approach to energy saving and an environmental protective substitute for fuel. However, in order to better utilize the wind resistance airflow and high pressure gas, to produce optimal cooperation between the primary power and the auxiliary power, and to increase usage efficiency of the primary power, it is still necessary to further improve the structure of the wind-air engine of the invention and the motor vehicle equipped with the wind-air engine.